Artist Rising
Floral Notes
July 13 - 18, 2025
Attending an art workshop, whether close to home or in a faraway place, nourishes your creative soul in ways beyond the canvas. You’ll find yourself surrounded by kindred spirits, sharing conversations that spark new ideas, savoring unforgettable meals, and wandering through breathtaking landscapes that deepen your artistic vision.
And when it’s time to leave, you won’t just carry armloads of artwork—you’ll take home a renewed sense of creativity and a heart full of memories.
Immerse yourself in a serene setting surrounded by lush gardens and sweeping landscapes, perfect for sparking creativity in Glastonbury, CT. In this workshop, you'll explore the art of floral sketching, experiment with abstract florals, and bring landscapes to life using watercolors and gouache. Guided exercises will lead you to create a one-of-a-kind handmade book, a cherished collection of botanical beauty and artistic expression. Join us for six days of creativity, connection, and inspiration among the blooms.
Techniques Taught:
Warm up before every class with fun sketching exercises - our subjects will be flowers, landscapes, and still-life objects.
Expressive floral drawing, floral drawing foundational techniques, and abstract floral painting techniques.
Create a harmonious color palette throughout the workshop, bringing cohesion to your work.
Layering watercolor and gouache to create rich abstract florals
Monoprints using a gelli-plate. Abstract landscapes, collage papers, and abstract floral techniques.
Transform an ordinary sketchbook into a Book of Flowers by using collage, stitching, fabric, pressed flowers, and collage.
Sketching and painting in the gardens and around the property.
Incorporate simple architectural details into your artwork.
The lesson plan highlights each technique—watercolor, gouache, gelli prints, stitching, collage, and bookmaking—while encouraging personal expression through floral and garden-inspired artwork.
The Art Of Flowers
Date: June 7, 2025
Location: Marilla Field & Flora
10203 Easton Road
Dexter, MI 481030
Cost: $165.00
Light Snacks Will Be Provided
Space is limited—reserve your spot today!
Join us for a magical summer day of flowers, color, and creativity at Marilla Field & Flora, a beautiful flower farm just minutes from Ann Arbor. Artists of all levels are welcome to enjoy a relaxing day of creating floral-inspired artwork surrounded by natural beauty.
We’ll start with playful warm-up exercises before creating a vibrant color palette inspired by the summer flowers around us—giving you the confidence to bring harmony to your artwork. Then, we’ll take a refreshing stroll through rows of gorgeous blooms, letting the sights, scents, and colors of nature spark our creativity and inspire the pieces we’ll bring to life. Afterwards, we will head back to the studio and put everything together to create one-of-a-kind floral artwork.
Enjoy delicious snacks from local businesses, a supportive atmosphere, and the joy of creating in nature, this workshop is the perfect way to embrace the season's beauty. You will walk away with new techniques that you can use again and again as you embrace the beauty of flowers through art.
Techniques you will learn:
Fun Warm-Ups: Loosen up with expressive drawing exercises designed to help you embrace your unique creative style. And don’t worry if you haven’t drawn since eighth grade—these playful exercises will take you right back to doodling in the margins of your notebook.
Building a Harmonious Color Palette: Dive into the joy of mixing paint to create a personalized color palette. Experiment, explore, and discover dreamy color combinations that bring harmony and cohesion to your artwork!
Expressive Mark Making: Explore fun and dynamic techniques to add texture, movement, and personality to your artwork. From bold strokes to delicate details, discover how simple marks can give your art work movement and energy.
Floral Brushwork Made Easy: Learn how to paint leaves, petals, stems, and grasses with effortless, flowing brushstrokes. Play with pressure, movement, and technique to bring your florals to life with grace and energy!
Vibrant & Loose Floral Still Life: Explore wet-in-wet watercolor techniques to create soft, glowing florals that bloom with rich, layered color.
All materials are provided—just bring your creativity and curiosity!
Feel free to bring your own brushes and watercolors if you like.
